Axar Patel and Sahil Parakh [Source: AP]Delhi Capitals had it sorted out with their opening pair of KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka for the first half of IPL 2026. However, on April 27, during the DC vs RCB game, a new face appeared alongside Rahul, Sahil Parakh. The 18-year-old had his first stint in IPL and debuted for Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals, only to have a forgettable inning of 0 for 2.The Maharashtra player effectively pipped his teammate and longtime Delhi Capitals veteran Prithvi Shaw to open for a lefty-righty combination as implemented by skipper Axar Patel. After Sahil Parakh’s disappointing outing, after the match, the DC skipper hinted at the fate for the young batter who was roped in by the franchise for INR 30 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction. Sahil Parakh Fails Miserably In DC vs RCB Parakh, a young batting talent, rose from the grassroots to make his way into the senior setup. Parakh starred in the Maharashtra Premier League 2025, where he bagged 202 runs in eight matches for Eagle Nashik Titans at a strike rate of 177.19. His consistent performances in the domestic setup and impressive knocking in the nets allowed him a place in the DC Playing XI vs RCB. However, the opportunity was pushed down the drain because of a ripper from India veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In the very second delivery of the match, Kumar delivered a peach with an in-swinging yorker. Beaten by both the pace and the length, Parakh was stunned and in an attempt to defend the ball, he mistimed it, only for the ball to find the middle stump. Axar Patel On Why Sahil Parakh Was Given The NodSpeaking after the DC vs RCB match, Patel backed his decision to give young Parakh a chance, noting his intent in the nets. “The kind of practice Sahil has been putting in, the hard work he’s shown, and the way he has been batting in the nets really stood out. Even in the practice matches we played, he was consistently scoring runs and showing good intent. All of these factors played a role in the decision to give a young player like him an opportunity," Axar said. However, Patel also shared the reason behind opting for Parakh while Pathum Nissanka and Rahul were already a good duo in the works. “We felt that a left-right combination at the top could work in our favour. Since we have that option in the squad, it was something we were keen to try, not just for one game but as a flexible approach we can use throughout the tournament depending on conditions and match-ups," the Delhi Capitals skipper said after the game, as quoted by CricketNext. Also Read- Axar Patel Holds These Players Responsible For Worst-Ever IPL RecordEnd of Roads for Prithvi Shaw? Axar Patel Shares Final Verdict On Sahil ParakhPatel was also verbal on the potential of Parakh. Even though the young gun failed to make a mark as an opener, Patel backed his continued presence in the Playing XI in the middle too. “It was his first match, and he got out early, so it’s difficult to make any judgment based on that. But when he gets more chances and spends time in the middle, I believe we’ll start to see what we had noticed in training and practice games," Axar Patel said. If Not Parakh As Opener, Then Who? This effectively means, if Patel & Co. opts for a lefty-righty combination, removing Parakh, they will have Abhishek Porel as one of their primary choices to open alongside KL Rahul. Notably, Porel averages 38.00 as an opener in IPL with a strike rate of 158.33. Prithvi Shaw last played in the IPL in 2024 and has been loyal to Delhi Capitals. Yet, his comeback looks tough after he fell out of favour with shattering IPL 2023 and 2024 seasons, where he averaged 13.25 and 24.75, respectively. Parakh, A Long-Term Asset For Delhi CapitalsIndirectly, ending all hopes for Shaw, Axar Patel declared Sahil Parakh as one of the ‘long-term assets’ for the franchise. “The potential is definitely there, and once he gets going, people will realise that there is something special about him. From what we’ve seen so far, the way he has been batting, both in the nets and in practice matches, suggests that he can be a long-term asset for Delhi," Patel added. As Sahil Parakh navigates his way into the mega tournament, Axar Patel’s backing only allowed a solid wall for the young talent, who failed initially but shows promise as a primary batter for the franchise in the coming years.Also Read- Najmul Shanto Injury Update Issued By BCB Before Bangladesh Vs Pakistan Tests
